The Pinochet Factor in Democracy (1990–2023)

This chapter examines Professor Alan Angell’s concept of the ‘Pinochet factor’ from his 2007 book Democracy After Pinochet. The ‘Pinochet factor’ refers to the dictator’s significant impact on Chilean democracy, rooted in his support after the 1988 referendum, ties to the Right, business, and military, and slow human rights progress in the 1990s. The chapter focuses on Pinochetismo, a political culture of admiration for Pinochet, which celebrated the coup and framed the military as saviours. Although Pinochet’s image declined after 2000, Pinochetismo revived in 2018, especially with José Antonio Kast’s Republican Party and the 2019 Social Outbreak. The fiftieth-anniversary coup commemoration revealed a polarised society, indicating that the ‘Pinochet factor’ continues to influence Chilean politics today.